Blaenau Gwent

The religious profile of Blaenau Gwent changed substantially in the decade leading up to the most recent census. At the same time there were changes in marriage, housing tenure and health.

The population changed very little

In the decade to 2011, the population of Blaenau Gwent remained close to 69,800.

The loss of just under 300 people means this area's population was the most rapidly-declining in Wales, while Blaenau Gwent remained the third-least populous local authority area in the country.

In 2011, Blaenau Gwent was home to, on average, 4.6 people per football pitch-sized piece of land (about 7,140 square metres).

Population density was higher than the average across Wales

Population density (usual residents per 7,140 square metres) across Wales, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Blaenau Gwent

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Blaenau Gwent increased by three years, from 38 to 41 years.

This industrial area had a slightly higher average age than Merthyr Tydfil, a statistically similar local authority area (40 years of age) and had a similar age to the average local authority area across Wales (41 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of about 1,900 people between the ages of 40 and 49 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by about 2,000.

About 15% of people in Blaenau Gwent are aged between 40 and 49 years

Percentage of usual residents in Wales, Caerphilly and Blaenau Gwent by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Fall in proportion of Welsh speakers

The proportion of Welsh speakers in Blaenau Gwent fell from 9.1% to 7.9% in the 10 years leading up to Census 2011.

There are 857 fewer people living here who spoke Welsh compared with 2001, while the number of people who did not spoke Welsh increased by 410.

In nearby Caerphilly, 11% of people over the age of three could speak some Welsh, up from 11% at the 2001 census. Across Wales, the proportion fell from 21% to 19%.

The proportion of people who could speak Welsh was lower than across Wales

Percentage of people aged three and over that that said they could speak Welsh across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

Religion in Blaenau Gwent

The number of people in Blaenau Gwent that described themselves as having no religion increased from just under 18,000 in 2001 to about 29,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 25% to 41% of the local population.

The percentage increased by more than the average across Wales (from 19% to 32%).

The number of people in Blaenau Gwent that described themselves as Christian decreased from about 45,000 in 2001 to about 35,000 in 2011 (from 64% to 50%). The number of people who did not disclose their religious affiliation decreased from about 7,000 to just under 5,700 (from 10% to 8.1%).

About 250 people (0.2%) said they identified with a religion other than Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism or Sikhism, up from just over 160 in 2001 (0.4%).

There are many factors that can cause changes to the religious profile of an area, such as migration and varying fertility rates between religious groups. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population without a religion in Blaenau Gwent increased by 16 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Wales, Caerphilly and Blaenau Gwent by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

More single people in Blaenau Gwent

This area saw Wales' third-largest rise in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership.

During this period, Blaenau Gwent overtook Caerphilly, Wrexham and Rhondda Cynon Taf to become the Wales local authority area with the seventh-highest percentage of single people.

In 2011, just over one in three (34%) people aged 16 and over in Blaenau Gwent said they were single, compared with 27% in 2001. The percentage that said they were married decreased from 51% to 45%.

The largest increase occurred in Cardiff (from 38% to 45%) followed by Merthyr Tydfil (from 28% to 35%).

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership in Blaenau Gwent increased by 7.1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over in Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly and Wales that said they were single, March 2001 and March 2011

More homes with adult children living with their parents

This area saw Wales' third-largest rise in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents.

During this period, Blaenau Gwent overtook Rhondda Cynon Taf to become the Wales local authority area with the second-highest percentage of households with only adult children living with their parents.

In 2011, just over one in eight (13%) households in Blaenau Gwent had only adult children living with their parents, compared with 12% in 2001. The percentage with at least one child decreased from 32% to 29%.

The largest increase occurred in Merthyr Tydfil (from 12% to 14%) followed by Bridgend (from 10% to 12%).

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was higher than across Wales

Percentage of households that where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

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Area report data

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